Single line hoisting bucket



May 29, 1962 J. BAIRD, JR

SINGLE LINE HOISTING BUCKET 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 6, 1960 mm o /l: m a 8 mm m mm .E on E I {W I 3 km WH m 0 mm a mu f .mq m mm N0 9 .w .1 Q n b wm &

m llmml mm mm #0 MR m m fl '1 2 Wm p a t M v m J M mm mm m 00 g p /x\ a T m o \L in M om no om mm 0 *2 x mm 3 8& 9 mm m. 9 Q Q on 3 |l.-| mm ATTORNEYS May 29, 1962 J. BAIRD, JR 3,036,393

SINGLE LINE HOISTING BUCKET Filed Jan. 6, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. w 3 1 i VD SNL 2w 05 mm Qq B mm mm .8 m we 4 A J Y 3% U H -u mw m IF 5 \5 "xiv/u mm s .s m 2 s 35 o mQmM ATTORNEYS J. BAIRD, JR

SINGLE LINE HOISTING BUCKET May 29, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1960 4, Q f A: mu

INVENTOR.

JAMES BAIRD JR.

BY mm, 777%; M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,036,393 SINGLE LINE HOISTING BUCKET James Baird, IL, 12309 Grimsby Ave., Cleveland 35, Ohio Filed Jan. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 851 9 Claims. (Cl. 37-184) This invention relates as indicated to a single line hoisting bucket and more particularly to a clamshell bucket that may be operated on a single line by only one person and have, moreover, a simplified construction permitting ready assembly and disassembly thereof.

In the past, single line hoisting buckets have been extremely difficult to remove from the single operating line, and conversely it has been a formidable task to thread the single operating line onto the conventional sheave or block structure of the bucket.

Moreover, the release apparatus or mechanism of such buckets has generally been unreliable and has usually required a second person to operate the various unlatching mechanisms employed. When the bucket or clamshell is opened and dropped upon a pile of material to be lifted or moved, the counterweights and latching mechanisms must be lowered to latch a drawbar or the like to pull the halves of the bucket together. There is considerable tendency for the shock of the bucket opening to wear the parts of the latching mechanism as well as the sheaves and block assemblies.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide a single line hoisting bucket in which the hoisting cable or rope can be threaded onto this clamshell without removing the hook or counterweight mechanism.

It is a further principal object of my invention to provide a latching mechanism for a single line hoisting bucket that will be simple of construction and reliable in operation.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a single line hoisting bucket having means to reduce shock or snap loads when the bucket is opened and dropped on a load or pile of material to be hoisted.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a hoisting bucket constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the hoisting bucket as seen from the right in FIG. 1;

' FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the hoisting bucket in its opened position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded view of the sheaves employed with my hoisting bucket illustrating the'manner in which the cable is threaded thereon;

FIG. 5 is a detailed view on a somewhat enlarged scale of the rolling pivot shaft for unlatching the bucket; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown my single line hoisting bucket which comprises two clamshells or bucket halves 1 and 2 which are essentially identical in form. The clamshells 1 and 2, which, of course, may be of any desired shape, are pivotally interconnected on a pivot shaft ice 3 extending between the upper central edges thereof. The clamshells 1 and 2 have similarly shaped sides 4 and 5 having angled abutments 6 thereon which may be employed to limit the opening movement of the clamshells to the position shown in FIG. 3. The sides of the clamshells are pivotally connected to the shaft 3 as shown at 7 and 8 in FIG. 2. Rotatably mounted on the upper outer edges of the clamshells 1 and 2 are pivot pins 9 and 10 respectively which are rigidly connected as by welding to support arms 11 and 12. In this manner, arms 11 and 12 are pivotally connected to the upper outer edges of the clamshells 1 and 2 respectively. The upper ends of arms 11 and 12 are pivotally connected to the head sheave block, generally shown at 13 by pivot pins 14 and 15 respectively. The head sheave block is of a general U- shape and has a removable front plate 16. Rotatably mounted in the head sheave block are three sheaves 17, 18 and 19. It is here noted that these sheaves 17, '18 and 19 are of the same size. Sheaves 17 and 18 are mounted at the back portion of the sheave block as shown in FIG. 4 and sheave 18 is rotatably spaced from removable plate 16 by means of a collar 20. As more clearly seen in FIG. 4, sheaves 17 and 18 are in edge facing relationship and are spaced a suflicient distance to enclose the cable or rope 21 therebetween which may, for example, be up to /2 inch in diameter. The removable plate 16 of the head sheave block is secured to the block by suitable thumb screws 22 and 23 threadedly engaged within the pivots 14 and 15 respectively. Mounted on the top left of the head sheave block as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, is a cable holder 24 which is of suitable structural channel configuration and has vertical notches 25 and 26 therein to assist in retaining the cable.

The lower or counterweight assembly block for the cocker mechanism is generally shown at 36 and has coaxially mounted thereon in spaced relation two sheave wheels 31 and 3-2 which are identical in form. These sheave wheels are suitably rotatably mounted on a shaft 33 and are spaced by the pendently pivotally mounted cocker hook 34. The cocker hook has a lower cam surface 35 to facilitate movement of the end or lug 36 over the rolling pivot shaft 3 when the weight assembly 30 is dropped thereon. The cocker hook has a suitable indentation 37 adapted to latch or hook over the rolling pivot shaft 3. It is here noted that the cocker hook is slightly eccentrically mounted on the shaft 33 so that it will always hang slightly to the left as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

Suitably situated on the lower assembly block are suitable counterweights 38, 39 and 40. The weights include suitable, upward extensions 41 and 42 which are adapted to bear against the head sheave block 13. The shaft 33 connecting the sheaves 31 and 32 has a U-shaped shackle 43 interconnecting the ends thereof and to which the weights are suitably rigidly connected as by welding thus to form a unitary counterweight or cocker mechanism pendently mounted from the head sheave block 13.

Referring now to the rolling pivot shaft which is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be seen that enclosing the ends of the shaft 3 are handle structures 44 and 45. These handles have central annular extensions 46 and 47 which are secured to the shaft 3 by pins or other suitable fasteners 48 and 49 respectively. Also fixed on the shaft 8 is a sleeve'or collar 50 which has an annular series of enlargements or ribs 51 positioned to be engaged by the cocker book 34. The sleeve 50 may be keyed or otherwise suitably rigidly secured to the shaft 3 and is axially spaced from the extension 46 of the handle 44 as shown at 52 so that the sides of the clamshells 1 and 2 may be pivotally affixed directly to the shaft 3. Axially adjacent to the fixed sleeve 50 is a rotatable sleeve 53 to which is welded or otherwise suitably secured an upwardly extending guide post -4. The guide post 54 ex- 7 tends upwardly through the lower counterweight cocker mechanism 30 and upwardly through the head sheave block 13-. The guide post is slidably mounted-inrboth the mechanism 38 and the head sheave block 13 and is free to reciprocate with the shaft 3 from the lower position shown in FIG. 3 to the upper position shown in FIG. 1 when the clamshells 1 and 2 open and close. On the top of the guide post 54 there is suitably secured a flat washer or" other stop means 55-. A spring 56 surrounds the guide post 54 just above the head sheave block 13. It can now be seen that the spring 56 will abut against the washer or stop 55 when the bucket opens to absorb the shook or snap as can be seen in FIG. 3. In this manner, the abntments 6 on each of the clamshells 1 and 2 will not be subject to continual pounding.

. The handle structures 44 and 45 of the shaft 3 are mounted on the outside of the sides 4 and 5' of the clamshells and the end 57 of the handle 44 as well as the end 58 of the handle '45 are connected by means of suitable tension springs 59 as shown in FIG. 1 to opposite sides of the clamshell 2 as shown at 60. The opposite ends of the handles 44 and 45 may be connected by means of a pull rope '61 to the operators station. It can now be seen that a pull on the rope 61, which may be connected to either handle 45 or 46 or both, will cause the shaft 3 to rotate against the tension force of spring 59'. This will also cause the sleeve 50 with the roughening enlargements 51 thereon to rotate frictionally to disengage the hook 34 and shaft 3. It will, of course, be understood thatfor manual operation, the handle structures may be replaced by suitable handwheels for example.

Now referring more particularly to FIG. 4, which is an exploded view illustrating the manner in which the single hoisting line is threaded through the shea'vespit will be seen that the plate 16of the head sheave block 13 can readily be removed by the thumb screws 22 and 23. The sheaves 17, 18 and 19' will remain mounted within the block 13 on appropriate stub shafts. With the plate'.

removed, the hoisting line may simply be threaded between the sheaves 17 and18, around the sheave 32 on the lower cocking mechanism, thence around sheave 19 in the head block assembly and finally around sheave 31 on shaft 33.

The cable 21 is then intertwined through the vertical slots 25 and 26 of the cable holder 24. The cable is brought from the sheave 31 forwardly outside the plate 16 of the head sheave block 13. The thumb screws are replaced to secure the plate 23 to the head block assembly and the cable is pulled tight through the cable holder 24 and the cable with the cable weight 62 thereon is then'secured to the arm 12 by means of the conventional cable'hook 63. It-will now be seen that the hoisting block has been operatively'aflixed to'thehoisting cable by'the very simple operationof removing the plate 16, thread- .ing the cable through the varioussheaves and then resecuring the plate 16. The weight and hook, of-course,

need not be removed from'the cable for this operation.

1 The lower edges of the clamshells 1 and are provided with a series of teeth '64 and 6-5'respect1vely such thatwhile the bllOkBt'lS sliding, the teeth will elfect'a scratching'or breaking action to loosen'the material so that it will slide readily into the bucket. It is noted that the clamshell need not close completely to lift large'lumps of material as,'for example, scrap iron. The teeth will; assistin retaining suchirregular material within the bucket.

sleeve 53, an op'en' end semi-cylindrical guard66, to

protect-the cocker hook 34 frombecorn'mg embedded the material when the bucket is in its open position. This would tend to prevent the hook 34 from pivoting about the shafti33 to latch on the sleeve portion 511 of the Operation 7 a erly threaded through the sheaves and the hook 63 secured to the support arm or rod 12, and further assuming that the clamshells 1 and 2 are in their open posit-ion and are resting on a pile of material to be hoisted, the operator, driving asuitable hoisting winch or the like, slackcns or lowers the line 21 which permits the weighted assembly 30 to move downwardly to the position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3. When the weight assembly 30 is lowered until the cocker hook engages the sleeve 50 of the roller shaft 3', the cam surface 35 on the lower end of the cocker hook causes the hook to pivot to the side as shown in FIG. 6 and automatically hook ;or latch the, sleeve 50 on shaft 3 when the opening 37 is horizontally aligned therewith. The eccentric mounting of the cocker hook readily assists the cooker hook to swing into engagement with the roughened portion of the sleeve 50.

With the cocker hook now in place, the operator reverses the hoisting or winching mechanism, the line 21 of which may suitably be threaded through a crane boom or swinging hoist, to draw the hook upwardly bringing the teeth 64 and 65 together by pivoting the clamshells 1 and 2 to their closed position shown in FIG. 1. Further upward movement of the line 21 will lift the entire bucket with the load therein. The operator then places the bucket over the desired position and a pull on the line 61 will cause the handle 44 to rotate which in turn will rotate the sleeve 50. The roughening ridges 51 will now readily cause the sleeve 50 tfrictionally to roll out of the opening 37 in the cocker hook 34. As soon as the hook is released, the weight of the material within the clamshells will cause the bucket to open to the position shown in FIG. 3. The guide post 54 will descend with the shaft 3 and the stop 55 will abut against the compression spring 56 absorbing the shock or snap as the bucket opens. The counterweight assembly 30 will remain against the head sheave block 13 due to the continued tension, due to the weight of the bucket on the line 21. The operator then This single operator, is moreover the only person needed e to attach the-hoisting line to my hoisting bucket as the As shown in FiG. 2, there isrsuitably mounted on the places the bucket over the material to be moved and lowers it thereon. The continued lowering of the cable will lower the weight assembly 30 permitting it to slide down the guide post 54 until the cocker hook 34 again latches onthe shaft 3. The operation is now ready to be repeated by simply reversing the movement of the line 21. The frictional engagement between the roughening ridges 51 and the interior of the cocker hook is sulficient to cause the hook to move outwardly away from the shaft 3 when the shaft 3 has been raised at least 12 inches. I have found that a counterweight of, for example, approximately 70 pounds is sufiicient to draw the line through the various sheaves and lower the hook to the shaft 3 even when employing relative inflexible steel cable. 1

It will now be seen that I have provided a single line, semi-automatic hoisting bucket thatcan be operated by but a single person since theperson operating the hoisting winch may also operate the-line 61 to release the hook 34.

result of my unique cable threading block assembly.

It can also be seen that I have provided a single line hoisting bucket that will not continually subject the parts and hoistingmechanism thereof to wear as the result of shock or snap as the bucket opens.

.Other modes of applying the principles, of the invention may be employed, change being made asregards the details describedQprovidd thefeatures stated in any of "the followingv claims or the equivalent of such be employed. I

I, therefore, particularly as my invention: V

1. A single line hoisting bucket comprising a'pair of mating "clamshells centrally pivotally interconnected by means of a-pivot shaft, upper and lower blocks, a single hoisting line connecting said upper and lower blocks and point out and distinctly claim passing around sheaves therein, hook means on said lower block adapted to engage said pivot shaft, said pivot shaft frictionally moving said hook means out of engagement therewith when said shaft is rotated.

2. A single line hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper block has a removable plate to facilitate threading the single hoisting line through the sheaves in both the upper and lower blocks.

3. A single line hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 2 including handle means on said pivot shaft to facilitate rotation thereof.

4. A single line hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 3 including a guide post mounted to said pivot shaft and vertically slidably extending through said upper and lower blocks, a stop on the top of said guide post, and spring means interposed between said stop and said upper block surrounding said guide post to reduce shock as said clamshells open.

5. A single line hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 4 including friction means on said pivot shaft to facilitate frictional movement of said hook means when said shaft is rotated, said friction means comprising an annular series of ridges on said pivot shaft.

6. A hoisting bucket comprising two mating parts pivotally interconnected at their upper ends by a pivot shaft extending therethrough, upper and lower blocks, hook means depending from said lower block, said lower block being movable with respect to said pivot shaft and said upper block, said hook means including a cam on the lower end thereof whereby said hook means will automatically latch on said pivot shaft when the lower block moves toward said pivot shaft, means to rotate said pivot shaft, friction means on said pivot shaft adjacent said hook means to cause said hook means to disengage said pivot shaft when said pivot shaft is rotated.

7. A hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 6 wherein said upper block has a removable plate to facilitate threading a single hoisting line through both said upper and lower blocks.

8. A hoisting bucket as set forth in claim 6 wherein said lower block is weighted to facilitate movement downwardly from said upper block to engage said hook means on said. pivot shaft.

9. A single line hoisting bucket comprising mating bucket parts pivotally interconnected at their upper inner ends by a transversely extending pivot shaft, upper and lower blocks adapted to be threaded on a single hoisting line, hook means depending from said lower block and adapted to latch on said pivot shaft when said lower block is moved downwardly toward said pivot shaft, said hook means and pivot shaft being so formed that said hook means will frictionally move out of engagement with said pivot shaft when it is rotated, said upper block having a removable plate secured thereto by thumb screws to facilitate threading of such single hoisting line through said upper and lower blocks, a guide post vertically slidably extending through said upper and lower blocks and connected to said pivot shaft for vertical movement therewith, stop means on the top of said guide post, and spring means surrounding said guide post interposed between said upper block and stop means to cushion the shock of the bucket opening when said hook means disengages said pivot shaft and the bucket parts open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,200,274 Thomas Oct. 3, 1916 FOREIGN PATENTS 603,490 France Jan. 9, 1926 

